FACE TO FACE WITH GOD

Once upon a time, there was a man who developed an intense passion to see God. He went to a monk and said, "O master, I have a longing to meet with God. Will you please help me?"

The monk rejoined, "Why not? Come to this spot tomorrow in the morning. We will walk to the top of that mountain. There your wish will be fulfilled."

The next day, early in the morning, the man went to the same spot. The monk said, "Good, you have arrived. Let us start. If you don't mind, please carry this backpack."

The man was anxious and excited. He gladly picked up the backpack and started to walk toward the peak with the monk. As they climbed the steep hill, the man started feeling tired and the backpack felt heavy. He said to the monk, "O sage, I am tired and I am having trouble walking further."

The monk said in a casual manner, "Never mind, there are five stones in the backpack. Discard one of them." The man opened the bundle, removed one of the stones, closed the backpack and started towards the mountain top.

A little later, the man again started to feel tired. The peak of the mountain seemed too far. The man again expressed his difficulty. The monk said, "Discard one more stone. That should help.

" The man did as the monk had suggested and continued to walk.

The backpack did become lighter but not for long! Once again the man complained and the monk suggested that he throw out one more stone. The man did as the monk had suggested and both proceeded toward the top of the mountain.

Eventually, the fourth and the fifth stones had to be discarded. They reached the peak of the mountain but with an empty backpack. There the man said, "O master, now that we have reached the top, please let me have a face to face meeting with God."

The monk became very somber. In a serious tone he said, "My son, you have seen that you could not climb the mountain with the load of five stones. How can you expect to realize God without eliminating the five gigantic rocks of lust (KAAM), anger (KRODH), greed (LOBH), delusion (MOHA) and pride (AHAMKAAR)?"

The man's eyes were opened. He learned that minimizing the passions of lust, anger, greed, delusion and pride is the means to achieving godliness.